The 100 Best Bostonians of All Time

Nobody has to tell Bostonians how great Bostonians are. We like to say that we invented America. We also invented religious freedom, equal justice before the law, the abolitionist movement, women’s suffrage, modern surgery, the World Wide Web, Morse code, the telephone, and same-sex marriage. You’re welcome.

When Mayor Marty Walsh asked the city to begin thinking about Boston’s 400th birthday, we decided to undertake the laborious task of ranking our illustrious denizens. We recruited a panel of 22 experts; set up a webpage for public voting; solicited advice from prominent citizens; and questioned the relative merits of more than 400 nominees. Along the way, we argued—most frequently over the meaning of “Bostonian.” (You try it.)

The list before you contains familiar names of people who helped change the world, and others who have not always received the recognition they deserve. They include a woman who was kicked out of Boston in 1638 for stating her beliefs, and a man from the Dominican Republic who reminded us 375 years later that “This is our [bleeping] city.” Our rankings are designed to provoke debate—and if you’re a true Bostonian, you will disagree loudly and proudly. —Edited by David S. Bernstein